I've got the radiator out since it was leaking and since my oil cooler lines are leaking also I thought I would take them out and have a local hose shop fix them up with new hoses but as with everything on a Northstar nothing is as easy as it sounds.

Obviously the radiator ends of the lines have been unhooked but as I try to loosen the oil filter adapter end of the hoses I see that the oil filter adapter is rocking a bit. It's not leaking there so I guess the gaskets are ok there but I'm afraid of breaking the oil filter adapter if I get as ballsy with the line connection as I think I have to.

So, I thought to myself, self, why don't you just take the oil filter adapter out and then you can get the oil cooler lines off of it on the bench? Not so fast there buddy I answered; there's not much room (whoda thought on a Northstar Caddi, no room?) and I don't have much confidence getting the oil filter adapter out of where it's at with the hoses attached with all of the other stuff around it (a/c lines, engine cradle, etc.).

Anyways, has anybody taken the adapter out with the cooler lines attached?

OR

Has anyone gotten pretty ballsy with the oil cooler lines and not broken the oil filter adapter?

I'll be interested to hear. Meanwhile I'll go out and tinker a bit.

Thanks,
Jack

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After looking at the situ again I was able to get the lines off of the adapter with very little effort. They must be torqued pretty light. Still though I guess I'll take off the adapter and put new o-rings on it as well.

05-01-14, 08:26 PM

Ranger

Re: Removing Oil Cooler Lines

The adapter should be bolted tight to the block. Hard to imagine it rocking.

Not sure you're gonna get that thing out with the oil lines attached. Mine didn't have any when I removed it and it was still a tight fit.

05-01-14, 08:50 PM

kidzstang

Re: Removing Oil Cooler Lines

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger

The adapter should be bolted tight to the block. Hard to imagine it rocking.

Not sure you're gonna get that thing out with the oil lines attached. Mine didn't have any when I removed it and it was still a tight fit.

I dunno, Alldata says the torque is 12 lb/ft for the adapter so it's not held in too awful tight; she does rock a bit (in a fender to fender direction / not in a bumper to bumper direction). Like I said, I'll go ahead and change those o-rings too.

I hope this stops the oil leak so this is the last time I have to degrease the front of the engine cradle. Knowing my luck that $30 quick coupling that goes on the radiator that I bought last year will start leaking again and this will be a never ending tail chase.

05-01-14, 09:04 PM

MoistCabbage

The adapter seats tight against the block, compressing the O rings. It doesn't just sit in the O rings and wobble around. If its moving, something's wrong.

05-02-14, 07:02 AM

kidzstang

Re: Removing Oil Cooler Lines

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoistCabbage

The adapter seats tight against the block, compressing the O rings. It doesn't just sit in the O rings and wobble around. If its moving, something's wrong.

Well then it's good that it isn't wobbling around.

Like I said, it is rocking in one direction only. The bolt holes in the adapter have a larger ID than the OD attachment bolts. When a torque is applied to the adapter it can do nothing more than rock until the ID of the adapter meets the OD of the bolts. Remember that the torque settings of the bolts are spec'd to be 12 lb/ft, so they aren't that tight; probably just compressing the o-rings slightly so as not to push them out of shape.

My guess is that this very slight amount of rocking is very normal and may not even be noticed by most people.

I'm having a hose shop braze ends on the original fittings and adding 3000 psi hose - new o-rings all around and I'll be good to go (I Hope). All for less than $100 - way less than the $200 plus it would cost for replacement lines from Rock Auto and I'll have a way better setup, YAY! I'll just keep my fingers crossed that that quick coupling on the radiator is ok.